Brinkley's Garden Restaurant

Brinkley’s shares many qualities with its raucous next-door sibling the Wine Gallery (most significantly a great retail-priced wine list), but it’s certainly the more refined of the two, only deigning to open for dinner & weekend lunches. Once you’re past the popular bistro/bar entrance area, the dining room is all leather seating, properly dressed tables & oil paintings, while the stunning conservatory at the back has a retractable glass roof. Classic dinner party-style cooking is the order fo the day: steamed asparagus with hollandaise, roast rack of lamb, & king prawn linguine. Recently, we’ve heard the occasional quibble about service, but Brinkley’s remains hugely popular with wine lovers, who rave about the ‘superb collection & very reasonable prices’.

Wine List: Although this is a small list, wine lovers should still make a beeline for any of the Brinkley’s establishments, as the mark-ups are positively charitable. Laurent-Perrier Rose is at retail price & that theme is carried through the list. This policy is a breath of fresh air & proof that you don’t have to mark up excessively to run a successful business. Best Buy White 2005 Hamilton Russell Chardonnay, Walker Bay, South Africa, £21. Best Buy Red 2005 St Cosme Cotes du Rhone, Rhone Valley, France, £12.50.